The controversial police raid on online daily malaysiakini has prompted residents in Penang and Ipoh to hold respective forums to discuss the state of press freedom in Malaysia.
The forum in Penang will be held this Friday at the Penang Chinese Assembly Hall in Jalan Kapitan Kling Mosque.
According to forum organiser Ong Boon Keong from the residents group Save Ourselves Penang, the event will begin at 7pm with an exhibition on press freedom.
"The exhibition will include publications which were banned by the government over the past years," he told malaysiakini .
Malaysiakini
editor-in-chief Steven Gan (
photo
) will give a briefing on the police raid and show videos and slides to the audience.
On Jan 20, the police raided malaysiakini 's office in Bangsar Utama, Kuala Lumpur, and seized 19 computers, including four servers.
The raid was in response to a police report lodged by Umno Youth over a letter published in the website which was said to be seditious because it allegedly questioned the special rights and privileges accorded to the Malays.
The police have since returned 15 computers but are holding on to the four servers.
Malaysiakini
has also been slapped with an eviction notice from its landlord, PC Suria.
The eviction notice stipulated that malaysiakini must vacate its office this Friday, but the website has told PC Suria that it is staying put.
The press freedom forum is also jointly organised by the Penang branch of human rights organisation Suaram.
Ipoh forum
Meanwhile, a group of Ipoh residents will organise a forum also featuring Gan as the major speaker this Saturday.
Forum organiser Yin Ee Kiong said the event is to create awareness among residents on the appalling situation afflicting the Malaysian media today.
"The press is the last bastion of freedom in this country," he told malaysiakini .
The Ipoh forum will take place at 10.30am, Saturday, March 1 in Ipoh Swimming Club (off Jalan Gopeng).
For more information, contact ong, 04-261 7585 (Penang) and Yin, 05-243 2648 (Ipoh).
